Archives for April 2015

Congressman Tom Reed is offering to mediate the dispute between Cattaraugus and Erie counties and the New York State Department of Transportation over replacing the Route 219 bridge. Reed, who helped obtain $20 million in federal funding to replace the bridge, says he would prefer the counties continue talks with state officials to resolve their differences, but says he’ll step in if asked.

Two suspects are in custody in connection with an armed robbery in Crosby, but a third remains at large. Pennsylvania State Police say 23-year-old Stephanie Berg and 25-year-old Richard Gould III, both of Eldred, and 31-year-old Shad Gutshall of Warren are accused of robbing 24-year-old Jacob Borowsky of Port Allegany at gunpoint Sunday night. Berg and Gould have been apprehended. Police are still looking for Gutshall.

Still no resolution to the disagreement between the state of New York and Cattaraugus and Erie counties that’s holding up construction of a new Route 219 bridge over Cattaraugus Creek. The state is wants the counties to be responsible for maintaining the new bridge, but the counties say they can’t afford it, so, for now, the $20 million project is on hold. The state is offering the counties a lump sum of $300,000 to maintain the bridge for the next 22 years. The counties say that’s not enough.

New pain at the pump. Gas prices have risen eight cents a gallon over the past week, to a statewide average of $2.74/gallon in New York and $2.72 in Pennsylvania. Locally, prices in the Olean and Bradford area range from $2.59 to 2.69/gallon.

Department of Environmental Protection researchers say blacklegged deer ticks have been observed in all 67 Pennsylvania counties, and this is the first time that’s happened. The ticks are the primary carrier of the disease that can cause fever, fatigue, headache, muscle aches and joint pain. Pennsylvania has reported the most cases of Lyme disease in the nation for the past five years.